Success answered to effort, with almost unerring
certainty. So he was full of wealth and honors. But, for all this,
Markland was unhappy. There were enemies in the house of his life;
troublesome guests in the guest-chambers of his heart, who were
forever disturbing, if not wounding him, with their strifes and
discords. Some of these he had admitted, himself holding open the
door; others had come in by stealth while the entrance was all
unguarded.
Envy was one of these guests, and she gave him no peace. He could
not bear that another should stand above him in anything. A certain
pew in the church he attended was regarded as most desirable. He
must have that pew at any cost. So when the annual choice of pews
was sold at auction, he overbid all contestants, and secured its
occupancy. For all the preceding year, he had failed to enjoy the
Sabbath services, because another family had a pew regarded as
better situated than his; and now he enjoyed these services as
little, through annoyance at having given so large a price for the
right of choice, that people smiled when they heard the sum named.
He had paid too dear for the privilege, and this fact took away
enjoyment.
Envy tormented him in a hundred different ways. He could not enjoy
his friend's exquisite statuary, or paintings, because of a secret
intimation in his heart that his friend was honored above him in
their possession.
Pages:
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42